Distributing switch mechanism for electric signs and similar devices.



L. MILLER. DISTRIBUTING SWITCH MEGHANISMFOR ELECTRIC SIGNS AND sIMILn DEVICES.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 19. 1911. I

1,104,692. Patented July 21, 191 1 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1. v

Ll MILLER.

DISTRIBUTING swITcII MECHANISM FOR ELECTRIC SIGNS AND SIMILAR DEVICES.

Patented July 21, 1914.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19. 1911.

4 SHEETSSHBET 2T L l I 53 76%61 es (4/ a Z/ I 7, mm; 4 54%;

I L. MILLER. I DISTRIBUTING SWITCH MECHANISM FOR ELECTRIC SIGNS AND SIMILAR DEVICES.

92 Patented July 21, 1914.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19, 1911.

Zeazzdra? ZZer- "1.. MILLER. I DISTRIBUTING SWITCH MECHANISM FOR ELECTRIC SIGNS AND SIMILAR DEVICES.

v APPLICATION IILED SEPT. 19, 1911.

1914,692 Patented July 21, 1914 R i v v anmv w ioo jeorz ard 7%6'ZZ6W ami/WW0 UNITED sTATEsPnT nT ormonor Bnownwoon, TEXAS.

DISTRIBUTING swIToH, MECHANISM on ELEC RIC SIGNS AND SIMILAR nnvrons.

To all whom it may concern: f .Be it known that I, LEONARD MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brownwood, in the county of Brown and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements 1n Distributing Switch.

number of groups 'of illuminating sections,

and the expense and other objection inclner of arranging switch cmbodyln'g distributing switch,

' cation.

blade or member; Fig. 6

dentto the leading of a large number of wires to the si from the flasher which is usually locate at a considerable distance from the sign,-are obviated, and, moreover, a flasher or small size and less cost can be used; i3 v To these and other ends, the invention consists .in-ce'rtain improvements, and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel j features being pointed out particularly in the claims at theend' of the specifithe accompanying drawings :Figure l isvadiagrammatic view showing the mane an automatic distributing? the present invention with respect .to an flasher; Fig. 2 is a a portion thereof being broken awayto illustrate the arrangement of'switch contacts; .Fig. 3 is an edgeview ta ot the cover of the switch showing switch contactgm end elevation; Fig. 4 'is a perspective view of the component" parts of each switch Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the movable switch represents a horizontalsection of apart of the distributing switch showing the switch operating mechanism; Fig. 7 represents a vertical section switch showing the switches in and elevation,

Specification of Letters Patent.

switch contacts may electric sign and its bottom plan view of the the a and also illus- Patented July 21, 1914.

Application filed September 19, 1911. Serial No. 650,263.;

trating the mechanism for actuating the switches; Fig. 8 represents a section through the distributing switch at right angles to theplane of the section in Fig. 7. i and 10 show another embodiment of the invention whereby all the switches may be opened simultaneously after they have all been closed successively.

Similar parts are designated by the same reference characters in the several views.

In ,the accompanying drawing, I have shown a distributing switch which is especially adapted to be used between an electric sign and its flasher whereby a flasher of relatively small size and capacity may be Figs. 9-

nonmnmnnor.nnownwoon, Texas; AssIGnonTo soY sTEP IAnUs BOYSEN,

used in connection with a sign having a' large or multiple number of groups of illuminatirig units or sections. This embodiment of the invention is generally preferred, although it is to be understoodthat modifications and changes may be made, in the'details or in the relative arrangement of the parts thereof in order that the invention may be carried into practice advantageously to meet different requirements. In the present instance, the distributing switch comprises a suitable a top or' cov 'er 2 which in the present instance is utilized as a support for the ,various switch contacts. Any suitable number of switches may be used andeach switch may embody any desired number of contacts, it being understood that one contact of each switch corresponds and is connected illuminating unit or section of the the distributsign; In the present instance,

three @ing switch mechanism embodies switches 3, 4 and 5, and as shown, the construction of each switch is substantially the same and, hence, a detail description of one @switch will be suflicient; A set of current conducting strips 6-are arranged at the under side of the cover or support 2, these strips being of a number corresponding to the number of contacts employed by each switch. jare'connected electrically to binding posts 7 which are preferably arranged on the upper side of the cover. The binding posts 7 serve as terminals for the distributing switch mechanism and are connected to. corresponding contacts of the flasher 8 by a set of conducting wires 9. The group of wlres 9 which may be injthe form of a cable corresponds in number to the number of coin box or casing 1 having These currentconducting strips no i tacts employed by the flasher and to the number ofbinding posts or terminals 7 of the distributing switch mechanism, although as will hereinafter appear, the sign contains a number of illuminating sections which is a multiple of the number ofwircs 9 and the contacts of the flasher and all of the illuminating sections or units of the sign may be operated from the flasher. The switch unit of each distributing switch in the present instance embodies a brush 10 one end of which lies in close and electrical contact with the under side of the corresponding conducting strip (3, while its opposite or free end is bent downwardly at an angle, an

imiulating washer 11 is applied beneath the brush 10, a second brush 12 is applied to the under side of the insulating washer 11 and is in substantial parallelism with the brush l0, and a metal plate 13 is applied to the under sideof the brush 12, abinding screw 14 being passed through the several parts and through the cover or support 2 and may be then attached to a binding post 15. The insulating washer 11 preferably has a sleeve 16 to insure proper insulation between the binding screw 14 and the conducting strip 6 and the brush 10.

In the present instance, electrical connection is made between the brushes 10 and 12 of the several switch units by a switch member 17, this switch member being preferably composed of a strip of fiber or other suitable insulating material provided on its face with a number of contact plates 18 which correspond in number and arrangement-to the pairs of brushes .10 and 12. This insulated switch plate is mounted on a rock shaft .19 and the rock shaft is journaled in suitable bearings 20 which are arranged at opposite ends of the shaft and are secured to the under side of the cover or su'pport2. The shaft 19 also hasan actuating arm 21 -fixed thereto 'and this arm is connected to which is journaled in bearings 24 carried by a suitable bracket secured to the bottom of the casing, and this shaft is'provided with a set of cranks 25, the wrist pins of which are spaced, equidistantly in a circumferential direction. The actuating-rods 22 of the several-switches are connected to the wrist pins of the respective cranks 25 so that during one revolution of the shaft 23, these switches will be closed and opened in. predetermined order. Turn-buckles 26 are provided for the rods 22 in the present instance in order to provide for proper adjustments of the switches. The shaft 23 receives a progressive or step-bystep rotation from a toothed disk or wheel 27 which is fixed thereto, a

pawl 28 which is pivotally'mounted on a pawl-carrying arm 29, the latter being mounted toswing about the shaft 23 as an axis and an operating lever 30, the latter being pivotally connected to the pawl-carrying arm at 31, and is fulcrumed at 32 to a stationary standard 33 and its free end is operatively, connected to the core 34 of a solenoid, the coil 35 of which is suitably secured within the casing and has its terminals connected to the binding posts 36 and 37. A spring-pressed ratchet dog 38 serves to cooperate successively with the notches in the disk or wheel 27 and thereby, hold the shaft 23 in different positions corresponding to the closed positions of the distributing switches, the shaft being rotated into these diiterent positions by the pawl 28 which is lifted each time the coil of the solenoid is energized and is lowered when the coil of the solenoid is dcenergized, gravity in the present instance serving to restore the pawl and cooperative parts to initial position after each operation.

The binding post 15 for the switch unit of each switch is connected to an illuminat-' ing unit or section of the sign 39 which may be pf any suitable construction and is shown 100 diagrammatically in Fig. 1, the binding .posts 15 of each distributing switch, how-' ever, being preferably grouped and a group of wires 40 serves to connect ,the group of binding posts of each switch with a correspondinggroup of illuminating units or sections of the sign. The binding post 36 which is connected to one terminal of the solenoid coil --is. connected by -a wire 41 to a suitable contact controlled bythe flasher, whereby the solenoid will be energized. anddeenergizedbetween the lighting of the different groups of illuminating units or-sections of the sign, the other terminal. 37- of the coil. 35 being connected by 'a wire 42 to the line wire 43 which serves as a common return for the illuminating elements of the Flashers of difierent kinds may be used in connection with a distributing switch mechanism embodying thepresent invention, it

being usual to employ flashers which successively illuminate or spell out the words, letters or lines of the sign, In the present instance, the contains twenty four illuminating units or sections which xmay correspond to letters, words, lines or designs; By using-the distributing switch eight contacts 8? may be used, for the illumi mechanism, however, a flasher havmg' only nating units',and a contact 41* for the sole i noid circuit, the flasher also having a moving contact controlling member 8 operating in the usual way, for example toward the right (Fig. 1), to successively engage the erates to rotate the shaft 23 and thereby contacts 8 and thereby illuminate successively the units or sections of the sign which are connected to the binding posts15 of one switch, it being understood that this switch at this time is closed and the otherswitches are open, and after all-of the units or sections of the sign connected to the binding posts 15 of this particular switch have been illuminated, the member 8 reverses its motion, disengaging from the .contacts 8 and 41, thereby extinguishing the corresponding units of the sign and denergizing the solenoid. Upon the next movement of the member 8 toward the right, (Fig. 1)' this member first engages the contact 41 whereby the solenoid coil is energized" and the latter .op-

open the switch which was previously closed and to close the switch next in order, the continued movement of the member 8 of the flasher operating to illuminate another set of units or sections of the sign, and in this way, the operation is continued automatically until the. entire sign has been illuminated, whereupon the entire operation of the system is repeated. The distributing switch is simple in construction and may be placed close to or onthe sign, thereby minimizing the length of the multiple numberof wires which connect the distributing switch mechanism to the sign. The flasher may be placed at any suitable point and it is only necessary to lead a comparatively small number of wires thereto.

In some case it may be desirable to close the switches successively as before, to light ,or illuminate the-parts or sections of the switch operating shaft 23 in this instance having a set of cranks 44 of a number correspondin to the number of switches to be operate and these cranks are, as before, arranged by suitable angles about the shaft 23: Each switch 45 in this instance has its actuating rod 46 connected to a lever 47, the latter being pivoted atone end to the top of a frame 48 while the opposite end of this lever is adapted to rest upon the shoulder 49 of a latch 50 pivoted at its lower end to a suitable support 51. -Each lever 47 cooperates with a correspondin crank 44, there being one lever for each switch and one latch for each lever, the different levers and latches being capable of independent moveof the different latches, and it is supported by pivoted arms 54:. This releasing bar als has an arm 55 which is operatively connected to the core of a solenoidor magnet 56.

In this form of apparatus, rotation of the. shaft 23 causes the cranks to press against and lift successively the different levers, thereby successively closing the corresponding switches, each lever as it is lifted being locked in elevated position by its respective latch,- and hence all the switches will be held in closed condition. After all the switches have been closed, the solenoid 56 is energized by current transmitted thereto at appropriate intervals from the flasher 8,'the release ing bar then acting to simultaneously release all the latches and permit all the switches to 0 en. In this way, the different parts or e ements of a sign may be illuminated in order and the entire sign may be extinguished simultaneously.

fI claim as my invention I 1. The combination of an electrical sign or exhibitor'embodying a plurality of groups of illuminating units, a flasher for controlling the illumination of the units of said groups, and a distributing switch mechanism for establishing operative relation between said flasher and the different groups of illuminating units of the sign or exhibitor, embodying a plurality of groups of contacts corresponding to the groups of illuminating units, the contacts of each group being connected respectively to the units of the corresponding group of illuminating units, a switch blade for each group of contacts having separate contacts adapted to engage all of the contacts of the respective group simultaneously, a shaft common to and cooperative with all of the switch blades and embodying means for operating the switch blades successively when rotated, and electromagnetic means controlled by the flasher for rotating said shaft.

. 2. The combination of an electrical sign or exhibitor having a plurality of groups of illuminating units, means for controlling the illumination of the units of said groups, and distributing switch mechanism governed by said controlling means and operative auunits, the contacts of each group being connected respectively to the units of the corresponding group of illuminating units, a sinadapted to engage the contacts of the respective group, a shaft common to and cooperative with all the switch members, and elec- .the corresponding groups of illuminating.

. gle switch member having separate contacts switches, each switch embodying a set of contacts and a switch member eachswitch member having separate contacts and operative to simultaneously engage and disengage the contacts of the respective set, and a single rotary shaft common to and cooperative with said switch members for closing said switches successively, electro-magnetic operating means for rotating saidshaft, and devices for retaining the different switch members in predetermined relations after each operation of said electro-magnetic means.

4. The combination .of an electrical sign or exhibitor embodying a plurality of groups of illuminating units, a flasher capable of rendering said units operative successively, and a distributer interposed between and electrically connected to the units of the sign and the flasher embodying a plurality of switches, one for each group of illuminating units, each embodying aset of contacts connected individually to the units of the respective group of illuminating units and a switch member having a set of separate contacts to engage the contacts for the illuminating units, a shaft common to and cooperative with all the switch members to close the respective switches successively,.and electro-magnetic means controlled automatically by the flasher and connected to operate said shaft to close said switches successively and thereby render different groups of the units of the sign operative successively.

5. The combination of anelectrical sign embodying a plurality of groups of illumi- I nating units, a flasher capable of rendering the units of the sign operative successively,

. and a distributor for controlling the operation of the difierent groups of units embodying a multiple contact switch for each group of units of the sign, the contacts of each nesses.

switch being connected in separate circuits between the flasher and to the illuminating units of the corresponding group, a rotating shaft common to and cooperative with all of said switches, and electro-magnetic means controlled automatically by the flasher for operating said shaft to govern the opera-' tion of the different groups of illuminating units of the sign.

6. A distributing switch mechanism embodying, in combination, a plurality of switches, each switch embodying a set of contacts and a switch member adapted to simultaneouslytengage the respective set of contacts first-mentioned, a shaft having cranks cooperative with the diiferent switch members and adapted when rotated to successively close and open the contacts corresponding thereto, a solenoid operatively connected to said shaft to rotate the same at .eachenergization, and a flasher having conmy hand in presence of subscribing wit- .LEONARD MILLER. Witnesses:

W. P.-LOGAN, W. E. CAnn'roN, JACK HALL. 

